NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams Shares Challenges of Extended Space Mission, Set to Return with SpaceX

Washington, DC: NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, who recently completed a nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS) alongside fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore, shared the difficulties she faced during her extended stay in space.

For Williams, the most challenging aspect wasn’t the lack of gravity or confined quarters, but the uncertainty surrounding her return timeline, both for herself and for her family waiting back on Earth.Speaking to the press from the ISS on Thursday, Williams said, “The hardest part is having the folks on the ground not know exactly when we’re coming back. It’s been a rollercoaster for them – probably more so than for us.”

Williams and Wilmore initially embarked on an eight-day mission to the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on June 5, 2024. However, technical issues with the spacecraft led NASA to deem it too risky to return the astronauts home. The Starliner made a return to Earth in September without its crew, leaving the astronauts stranded in space.NASA now plans to bring the astronauts back to Earth on March 19 or 20, with assistance from SpaceX, using its Crew-9 return flight.